NC State closer Derrick Smith uses season debut as confidence booster to build from
The nerves started to flow through Derrick Smith’s body when he heard pitching coach Clint Chrysler’s call to the Doak Field bullpen to get up and warm up in the fifth inning of NC State’s 14-2 win over North Carolina A&T.
Smith, the Pack’s lights-out closer from a year ago, had yet to make an appearance in the 2025 campaign as the program was taking its time with his season debut after he wasn’t ready to pitch following the Christmas break. The goal was to get him on the mound before ACC play, so Tuesday’s midweek romp in the team’s 17th game of the year provided the perfect opportunity.
The junior right-hander warmed for the duration of the frame as Matt Willadsen tossed an inning of relief. Once the Pack went down quietly in the home half of the sixth, it was up to Smith to finish out the eventual run-rule victory.
He showed up in every big moment a year ago. Smith helped anchor the Wolfpack’s shutdown bullpen with 41 strikeouts in 29.2 innings across 24 total appearances. While this time on the mound wasn’t high stakes with a 12-run lead in his favor, Smith seemed to find his groove on the mound after he allowed single on his first pitch of the year.
The White Bear Lake, Minn., native sent the next three batters down, all via strikeouts through a mix of his elite fastball and devastating slider. His one inning of work with a trio of strikeouts to face four batters was a step in the right direction for Smith, who NC State was cautious with at the start of the season.
“He knows he’s not back to who he was, but seeing him back out there, that was big,” NC State skipper Elliott Avent said after his team’s blowout win. “Everybody loves D-Rock. He’s one of the guys that helped get us to Omaha last year. That was special.”
The Wolfpack knew Smith wasn’t going to be ready by the time he returned for the start of the second semester. Instead of rushing the breakout star back quickly, risking major injury with a flame-throwing reliever, NC State allowed him to use the first month of the season working his way into the mix.
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It was tough for Smith to watch from the dugout, but he used that as an opportunity to boost his teammates’ confidence, rooting for the best outcome for the Pack. NC State went through a five-game losing streak, which it snapped and has since won nine straight going into its ACC opener against Virginia Tech this weekend in Raleigh.
But being on the mound with a batter from another team was a moment that Smith couldn’t wait to happen. And by getting closer to his usual self as a strikeout machine, the dominant bullpen arm has something to use as the season progresses.
“It boosts my confidence tremendously going out there for the first time and doing kind of what I did last year,” Smith said with a smile afterwards. “As of right now, I’m just working forward and building for the rest of the season.”
Smith allowed just three earned runs in his last 15 outings last season — which included one in each of his appearances in Omaha. The Wolfpack hopes he can find that same groove this year as it looks to make its third appearance at TD Ameritrade Park in the last five seasons by teaming Smith with sophomore Jacob Dudan, one of the top set-up men in the nation.
But to get to that point, Smith needed a building block. He needed to prove to himself that he was headed in the right direction on the mound this spring. And his ability to strike out the side after a leadoff single seemed to accomplish that.
“I’ll take it as a win today,” Smith said, “and I’ll keep going for the rest of the season.”
